Kunos Previews Version 1.5 Track Improvements

[Alex Franchini]

Kunos Simulazioni have outlined future developments for the upcoming version 1.5 of Assetto Corsa.

The announcement comes from the official Facebook page for the game, and makes a short recap of the development process during the last couple of years and what to expect for the track quality in version 1.5.

"The development of Assetto Corsa began in 2011. Since then, we have vastly improved our modelling techniques – today we have more resources (budget and manpower) and expertise, and the latest laser-scanning technology also allows us to obtain a better and wider scan, offering an opportunity to grab a higher number of objects surrounding the track. Moreover, during the development of Assetto Corsa, we have changed our approach to texturing and track modelling, creating more secondary details and trackside objects and also featuring 3D trees and camera-facing objects and crowds, something that resulted in nicer scenarios and better immersion. However, as a result there is now a visible gap in terms of graphics and details if you compare some of the first and the latest circuits created for Assetto Corsa.

Last year we made some tests with a new laser-scanning device, testing it at our HQ at Vallelunga race track, where we made our preliminary tests in early 2010 in preparation for the Ferrari Virtual Academy videogame. Since our aim is to offer our fans the best of our skills, know-how and quality, we are glad to tell you that we have started the process of optimizing and improving all our existing circuits, including Vallelunga, Nurburgring GP, Mugello, Magione, Imola, Silverstone, Monza, Spa Francorchamps, as well as the Nordschleife. The upgraded versions of these tracks will be available as a free update with build 1.5, currently in development.

Thank you very much for your great support!"
​

Update 1.5 will include the upgraded versions of all existing circuits. The update will be free, but there's no mention of an estimated release time or any other aspects of the changelog. You can check out the rest of the comparison screenshots of Vallelunga here:



Stay tuned for further information, and in the mean time lets us know what you make of this!

 

[Eduard Mallorquí]

Not a single word for new features or improvements on AI and MP, yet we get a new refreshing and beautiful gravel textures with bigger pixels that my screen can't even show.

 

[Radu Oros]

Not a single word for new features or improvements on AI and MP, yet we get a new refreshing and beautiful gravel textures with bigger pixels that my screen can't even show.

Why do you want so many promises? You later will complain anyway. At least with these track updates images, they didn't just promise, they showed us some of what they've been working on. Eduard, if kunos does livestreams again, remember to demand and complain on chat and forum, that's basically sim racing life for you.

 

[bender83]

Well, better track quality can only means better immersion imo. Pictures are about road improvement... why focusing on sand traps as it is obviously not the point here ( they're looking worst than the present version, i agree, but it's wip version screenshot, no ?) Anyway, AC is not the perfect sim for sure, but when racing online with fair drivers out there, it's just a joy. True that online improvement would be more than welcome (even if i have to admit netcode is pretty solid), integration of the best track mods as official content (for a batter visibility) would be nice as well (donington, paul ricard, bridgehampton, poznan...)

 

[Turk]

Not a single word for new features or improvements on AI and MP, yet we get a new refreshing and beautiful gravel textures with bigger pixels that my screen can't even show.

I think there have been announcements on improvements in AI and multiplayer coming with 1.5, just not in this particular post.

 

[Ville-Samuli Mutanen]

Seriously people. Get some true content to life for perspective. You may find yourself enjoying your life more as well.

Ps. A nice mix of various sims gives me so much pleasure that my only issue is the lack of time.

Nice to see Kunos improving content that doesn't bring them more money but gives better experience instead. Exactly like ISI is doing atm. Cannot complain. Looking forward to upcoming FFB adjustments too.

 

[Jempy]

Moreover, during the development of Assetto Corsa, we have changed our approach to texturing and track modelling, creating more secondary details and trackside objects and also featuring 3D trees and camera-facing objects and crowds, something that resulted in nicer scenarios and better immersion.

As AC personal user and driver since the very beginning... I must say this was highly needed to give a bit more life and race atmosphere ... something missing in AC. ( tracks were looking more like in a day of .... strike ! ). We don't look at it while driving ... but we see it though. And it remains a part of the driving pleasure.

As external judgement I'd say:
There are 2 kinds of AC users:
- Online drivers and/or league members: MP improvements are highly demanded ... more server settings and other possibilities: reversed grids ( without having to prepare special files for it ), better race penalties, etc ....
- Offline drivers against AI ... same request as the previous category
The reaction is for both: Yes, graphic improvement ... good ... but when do we get the rest ?

As league admin, I'd say: ... good ... graphic improvements ... fine but if the game remains as it is, that's to say ... more hotlap than race ... I fear our drivers' interest and fidelity will quickly disappear.
The fact is that without the modders inventive creations as Pitlane Penalty, Ptracker and Stracker or even Minorating for their public servers ... leagues might not continue working with AC.
If it happened, that should mean less and less AC servers as surely more than 50% servers are run by leagues.
The more Kunos keeps this race side of the game without significant improvements .... the more reactions we'll hear of drivers losing their interest for AC ... and I already can admit I already hear it more and more.

I know it's not the topic to discuss it here .... but all this is also important for AC possible future.
As nearly pure hotlap sim ... it cannot last very long.

I'd only wish the game coding might me as fast and reacting as the graphic part of the sim, cars and tracks.
I sincerely hope we will not be deceived in the months to come.

 

[Kevin Knorpp]

Sounds need much more help than graphics. Terrible sounds. Just awful. Has anyone modded the sound of the GT40, for instance? Doesn't matter anyway I guess as, typical of new sims, nothing to race against anyway. Thank goodness for the amazing content in older, finished sims!

 

[paracletus]

In before all the "but what about mp fixes!" posts.
oh no, too late :/

 

[-Alf-]

Sounds need much more help than graphics. Terrible sounds. Just awful. Has anyone modded the sound of the GT40, for instance? Doesn't matter anyway I guess as, typical of new sims, nothing to race against anyway. Thank goodness for the amazing content in older, finished sims!

Gotta agree. Sounds need a serious improvement, imo.

 

[Swam-e]

They are Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Caravaggio´s descendents. Of course they will improve graphics.

 

[Blimey]

And people kept telling me on the official forums that its pointless to update the tracks and Stefano said on streams that they won't update the tracks...

 

[Brandon Wright]

Sounds need much more help than graphics. Terrible sounds. Just awful.

No, Gran Turismo has terrible, awful sounds. AC's are mediocre, but they certainly could be a lot worse.

 

[Ben Lee]

pCARS has one or two cars that sound quite good, but a lot of the cars sound very similar and they all use that same generic transmission whine sample. I actually think AC has surpassed pCARS in some areas now with sound. I still think R3E is probably overall the benchmark still, virtually all their cars sound great, however the sim itself and its pricing model etc? Not for me.

 

[-Alf-]

No, Gran Turismo has terrible, awful sounds.

Add Sebastien Loeb Rally EVO aswell

 

[St3fan]

IMHO AC is the best thing that's ever happened in sim racing in the past 2 years. It allows people to constantly arguing over which has best most realistic better than others' FFB/physics, and constantly complaining what they want is still yet in the game. Top two activities that sim racers enjoy, closely followed by actual sim racing in third place

But yes I don't like the gravel either but it at least gives some life to the gravel (check the road side of Arizona Motorsport Park mod in RF1 and most Willow Springs/Laguna Seca for example). Hopefully they will listen to the community and put a little more thoughts and work on that before releasing the update.

 

[Stereo]

Stefano said on streams that they won't update the tracks...

No, he said they're not planning to update them, but that they don't make plans past the next major update. It's been 6 months and 2 major updates since the streams ended, so we're well past the point where anything he said on streams is even relevant. Obviously when they started planning 1.5/console release, they put it into the plans.

It's this kind of wilful misinterpretation that got you banned from the stream chat and the forums dude.

 

[Blimey]

No, he said they're not planning to update them, but that they don't make plans past the next major update. It's been 6 months and 2 major updates since the streams ended, so we're well past the point where anything he said on streams is even relevant. Obviously when they started planning 1.5/console release, they put it into the plans.

It's this kind of wilful misinterpretation that got you banned from the stream chat and the forums dude.

Stefano banned me because he just hates me, simple as that.

 

[Hyunsoo Lee]

Honestly, I don't understand what people expect from the company simply copy and paste their physics.
I think what AC would be for the next decade nothing more than another Gran turismo...

 

[Radu Oros]

Honestly, I don't understand what people expect from the company simply copy and paste their physics.
I think what AC would be for the next decade nothing more than another Gran turismo...

Is funny how people say "I get no fooled by marketing tricks, I make my own mind, opinions, and reviews; no one controls me and what I think".
And then as soon as they see something controversial they quickly tend to believe it. Because these type are the most easily influenced. There are three settings, one easily influenced by the good, one easily influenced by the bad, and one trying to fish from either side, questioning and analyzing things.

For example this story of copy paste physics. That article was published by someone who doesn't understand how cars are created in real life and in this case, in Assetto Corsa. So because they see quite similar suspension mounting points on a 3d (xyz) map, they think the cars are copy pasted. Have they ever thought that very similarly suspension placement points doesn't mean the same performance of the suspension, dampers, springs, etc between the two cars?

So for example when Mclaren said they completely revised the suspension of the 650s gt3 compared to mp4-12c gt3, and when these two cars share very similar platform and architecture, couldn't it mean that their performance/durability of certain components changed between the two cars but the actual place where these components are located is about the same on the two cars?

 

[Blimey]

So for example when Mclaren said they completely revised the suspension of the 650s gt3 compared to mp4-12c gt3, and when these two cars share very similar platform and architecture, couldn't it mean that their performance/durability of certain components changed between the two cars but the actual place where these components are located is about the same on the two cars?

Christian von Koenigsegg, the owner and creator of Koenigsegg cars said that no car ever will be identical.